Apr 4, 2025
6min read
AI Isn’t Cheating—It’s My External Brain
But Overusing It? That’s Freelance Suicide.
Let’s get one thing straight:
I use AI. Not to fake it. Not to write cover letters in “professional synergy voice.” I use it like a memory vault. Like a personal assistant that never forgets a thing I ever said to a client. I weaponize it to show up sharper, faster, and more locked-in than anyone else.
I feed it:
Slack convos
Meeting notes
Half-baked voice memos from stressed-out clients
That one time a founder said “I hate blue—reminds me of my ex’s brand”
All of it. So when I show up? I’m not guessing. I’m surgical.
But let me tell you what I don’t use it for:
❌ Auto-proposals with “Hello, esteemed client…” energy
❌ AI-written brand decks that all sound the same
❌ Generic crap that makes you look like the same exact freelancer as 100 other people hitting “generate” on the same prompt
Here’s the hard truth:
📉 When you lean on AI to do the job, you flatten yourself.
📉 Clients do it too. And now it’s just robots talking to robots.
📉 No vibe. No insight. No win.
It’s creative rot. And it's why the Upwork job board feels like a graveyard of potential.
So Here’s My Rule:
🧠 AI is the backup band. I’m the frontman.
🎤 I use it to enhance my voice, not replace it.
💥 I use it to organize the chaos, not be the chaos.
If you're a client, know this: I’m showing up with context, clarity, and receipts.
If you're a freelancer? Don't let a prompt farm steal your edge.